A Springholm gun enthusiast has been jailed for illegally possessing a Magnum revolver.

Dominic Barker was handed a five-year sentence at Bradford Crown Court on Friday.

His barrister, Stephen Wood, claimed the 20 year old was not a danger to the public – but Judge Roger Thomas QC disagreed, saying there was a “Walter Mitty” element to his character.

Mr Wood stressed that it was not a case of a young man about to go on some sort of rampage and there was no suggestion in the psychological report that he was a danger to the public.

Barker claimed he was 19 when he bought the weapon for £250 from a flea market in Huddersfield.

Mr Wood said that his client was a talented engineer who had a keen interest in firearms and militaria.

He added: “He is a hard-working, highly-thought of, dedicated, trustworthy, loyal young man. There is nothing antisocial in his personality.”

Mr Wood submitted that imposing the five-year sentence would be disproportionate and would destroy Barker’s future prospects.

He also stressed there was no ammunition found at a factory unit in West Yorkshire, where Barker had been staying, that could have been fired by the Magnum and that other ammunition present would have been sold on at arms fairs.

But the Recorder of Bradford, Judge Roger Thomas QC, said Barker’s interest appeared to have developed from that of an enthusiastic amateur into the “unhealthy side” of such material.

The judge indicated that there may also have been some element of the “Walter Mitty” in the way Barker presented himself.

He said: “The items you had in your premises, not reflected on the indictment, show the extent of the paraphernalia that you had there.”

Judge Thomas said the Magnum revolver would have been a terrifying weapon in the wrong hands and he rejected Barker’s assertion that he believed it was only a starting pistol.

Barker admitted possessing the prohibited weapon and also admitted further charges related to his possession without a certificate of various types of ammunition.

He admitted the offences last autumn but his sentence hearing was delayed because of the legal arguments over the way his case should be dealt with.

Despite the submissions from Mr Wood, Judge Thomas concluded that there were no exceptional reasons not to pass the minimum term as decreed by Parliament and he sentenced Barker to five years in a young offenders’ institution.

The judge said the Magnum had been re-activated and was capable of firing live ammunition and it was impossible to sentence Barker on any other basis than that it was a very dangerous weapon.

Detective Sergeant Simon Archer, of West Yorkshire Police, said: “A search of Barker’s premises revealed several firearms as well as a large quantity of ammunition.

“It became clear that Barker, despite his young age, had an extensive knowledge of firearms and was using the premises to store and manufacture potentially deadly weapons.

“The sentence he has received should serve as a warning to others that firearms offences are taken extremely seriously.”